Quotes About Philosophy

The other is that all these things, which thou seest, change immediately and will no longer be; and constantly bear in mind how many of these changes thou hast already witnessed. The universe is transformation: life is opinion.

Think of the universal substance, of which thou hast a very small portion; and of universal time, of which a short and indivisible interval has been assigned to thee; and of that which is fixed by destiny, and how small a part of it thou art.

Consider thyself to be dead, and to have completed thy life up to the present time; and live according to nature the remainder which is allowed thee.

Let a glance at thyself bring to mind one of the Caesars. Then let the thought strike thee: where are they now? Nowhere, or none can say where. For thus shalt thou habitually look upon human things as mere smoke and as naught; and more than ever so, if thou bethink thee that what has once changed will exist no more throughout eternity. Why strive then and strain?

Is it not possible that a real man should forget about living a certain number of years, and should not cling to life, but leave it up to the gods, accepting, as women say, that 'no one can escape his fate,' and turn his attention to how he can best live the life before him?

is my bad luck that this has happened to me.' No, you should rather say: 'It is my good luck that, although this has happened to me, I can bear it without pain, neither crushed by the present nor fearful of the future.' Because such a thing could have happened to any man, but not every man could have borne it without pain. So why see more misfortune in the event than good fortune in your ability to bear it?

unknown Byzantine poet composed a brief appreciation that came to be copied along with the text: ON THE BOOK OF MARCUS If you desire to master pain Unroll this book and read with care, And in it find abundantly A knowledge of the things that are, Those that have been, and those to come. And know as well that joy and grief Are nothing more than empty smoke.

The properties of the Rational Soul are these: sees itself, dissects itself, moulds itself to its own fill, itself reaps its own fruits.

Or was I created to wrap myself in blankets and keep warm?' 'But this is more pleasant.

The universe is flux, life is opinion.

Whatever any one does or says, I must be good; just as if the gold, or the emerald, or the purple, were always saying this. Whatever any one does or says, I must be emerald and keep my color.

Consider each individual thing you do and ask yourself whether to lose it through death makes death itself any cause for fear.

Or was I created to wrap myself in blankets and keep warm?' 'But this is more pleasant.' Were you then born for pleasure – all for feeling, not for action?

If he thinks x or y about pleasure and pain (and what produces them), about fame and disgrace, about death and life, then it shouldn't shock or surprise you when he does x or y.

Originally tragedies were bought on to remind us of real events, and that such things naturally occur, and that on life's greater stage you must not be vexed at things, which on the stage you find so attractive.

Marcus Aurelius

Com efeito, o presente é tudo de que se pode ser privado: afinal, tudo o que se tem é o presente, e a perda daquilo que não se possui não é possível.

The point is that you do not love yourself – otherwise you ?[?3?]?would love both your own nature and her purpose for you.

hay que ver siempre lo humano como flor de un día e inconsistente, ayer era una mucosidad, mañana será momia y cenizas. Ese

Betimes in the morning say to thyself, This day I shalt have to do with an idle curious man, with an unthankful man, a railer, a crafty, false, or an envious man; an unsociable uncharitable man. All these ill qualities have happened unto them, through ignorance of that which is truly good and truly bad.

Consideras, en resumen, que es desgracia del hombre lo que no es desacierto de la naturaleza humana? ¿

hundred, or in an infinite period; ii. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose.

Apenas amanezca, hazte en tu interior esta cuenta: hoy tropezaré con algún entremetido, con algún ingrato, con algún insolente, con un doloso, un envidioso, un egoísta.

I am half naked, neither have I bread to eat, and yet I depart not from reason, saith one.